Cincinnati Public Schools and the GE Foundation are partners in an aggressive push to improve students' understanding of science and math, backed by a record $20-million grant.
Launched October 19, 2006, the five-year College Bound math- and science-focused grant is the largest nongovernmental grant ever received by CPS.
The grant's goal is to improve students' scores in math and science, while closing achievement gaps between groups of students and increasing the number of students entering college.
The grant is being put to work in six key areas:
- delivering strong professional development for teachers
- ensuring a rigorous districtwide curriculum in math and science
- engaging stakeholders in the schools, the community and businesses to create a common vision for students' success
- improving management effectiveness
- developing evaluations to measure students' progress toward college readiness
- bringing the skills of GE Volunteers into the schools
"I am confident the GE College Bound District Grant will accelerate progress in our schools, especially in the vitally important areas of math and science," Superintendent Rosa Blackwell said.
For example, the grant is supporting:
The grant was announced during a celebration at CPS' Hughes Center high school, with 1,400 CPS students, teachers, parents, and GE and community leaders. Superintendent Blackwell hosted the event with GE Aviation President and CEO Scott Donnelly. After the announcement, GE executives, including Donnelly, met with Hughes' seniors to offer career advice and talk about the importance of math and science education in achieving success.
"The world becomes more competitive every day, and the need to strengthen education has never been more urgent," Donnelly said. "The goal of the GE College Bound District Program is to help all students reach their full potential, achieve academic success and lead the way in tomorrow's global economy."
The GE Foundation created its College Bound program in 1989 to increase college-going rates at more than 20 high schools across the nation, including CPS' Aiken High School, which has received $1.5 million in support of students graduating.
The foundation's new districtwide focus works to enhance student achievement through systemic change within school districts. In addition, GE leaders champion the project, and GE Volunteers bring their skills and professional capacity into the schools.